My guide to buying marine fish
Over the years I have been keeping my little reef I have developed a way in which I buy and introduce new fish to my set up. Part of my system for buying fish is conditioned by the fact I do not have a quarantine tank at home. This is simply due to the lack of space and not down to any preferences. I will not go into the pros and cons of quarantine tanks as I obviously do without.
Buying any new fish entails risk because there are so many factors, many of which are out of the aquarists control. There is no guarantee of success but I try to look at how to minimise risk of failure.
I have concentrated on the various genera of wrasse and I read many tales of woe on the internet forums and websites regarding these fish. How hard they are to keep, they won't feed, early mortality etc, etc. I feel that experiences like these are largely avoidable with a little education, research, care, and caution. I am sure this would apply to all genera of fish available in the hobby.
I can't stress how much I think it is key to know the scientific name of the fish and don't just rely on common names as these can be misleading and may change. The scientific name is the starting point for all research.
One of the biggest mistakes that we aquarists make when buying new fish is choosing the wrong type of fish for our aquariums. When we choose our prospective new inhabitants it is important that the fish will be the correct genus, size, temperament, colour and difficulty level for our setups. Another consideration is the care demands that the different species will make on the aquarist . Getting the match between the environment we provide and the fish we hope to keep is key. Ideally this will be done at the stage we set up our aquariums but over a number of years of keeping a reef tank this may become less the case.
Buying any new fish entails risk because there are so many factors, many of which are out of the aquarists control. There is no guarantee of success but I try to look at how to minimise risk of failure.
I have concentrated on the various genera of wrasse and I read many tales of woe on the internet forums and websites regarding these fish. How hard they are to keep, they won't feed, early mortality etc, etc. I feel that experiences like these are largely avoidable with a little education, research, care, and caution. I am sure this would apply to all genera of fish available in the hobby.
I can't stress how much I think it is key to know the scientific name of the fish and don't just rely on common names as these can be misleading and may change. The scientific name is the starting point for all research.
One of the biggest mistakes that we aquarists make when buying new fish is choosing the wrong type of fish for our aquariums. When we choose our prospective new inhabitants it is important that the fish will be the correct genus, size, temperament, colour and difficulty level for our setups. Another consideration is the care demands that the different species will make on the aquarist . Getting the match between the environment we provide and the fish we hope to keep is key. Ideally this will be done at the stage we set up our aquariums but over a number of years of keeping a reef tank this may become less the case.
Stage 1
The first stage in choosing your next fish is all about research. Think about the type of fish you are looking for, research and read about the care needs of the fish you are thinking about. Is your aquarium a suitable habitat? Can you provide the type and frequency of feeding the fish may require? Is it compatible with other inhabitants of your reef? Will the new fish harm any of your current fish, corals or invertebrates?
I would never buy a fish without having this knowledge and even then there is no guarantee of success as all fish are individuals. Minimise the risk of failure!
The first stage in choosing your next fish is all about research. Think about the type of fish you are looking for, research and read about the care needs of the fish you are thinking about. Is your aquarium a suitable habitat? Can you provide the type and frequency of feeding the fish may require? Is it compatible with other inhabitants of your reef? Will the new fish harm any of your current fish, corals or invertebrates?
I would never buy a fish without having this knowledge and even then there is no guarantee of success as all fish are individuals. Minimise the risk of failure!
For me, building a good relationship with my local retailers is an absolute must. They are the last link in the chain from the reef to my aquarium and in many ways are the most important. I am very fortunate in having three very good, knowledgeable and reliable shops that I deal with. I spend a lot of time in these shops talking to the people about my little reef. They are all very aware of my setup and always offer very good advice about all aspects of the hobby. I also know where they source their fish from and how they are selected, cared for a transported.
Again this is key. Where do the fish come from and how are they caught? (see Are wrasse really difficult to keep?)
Again this is key. Where do the fish come from and how are they caught? (see Are wrasse really difficult to keep?)
Collector -> Broker -> Exporter -> Importer -> Wholesaler -> Retailer -> My reef
This is a pretty common supply chain for our fish. There may even be an added section if fish are bought mail order. Something I would never do.
Each link in this chain can cause the fish problems and stress. One extreme would be unregulated cyanide capture. Something to avoid at all costs. If you know as much about this chain as possible you can once again minimise the risk of failure.
This is a pretty common supply chain for our fish. There may even be an added section if fish are bought mail order. Something I would never do.
Each link in this chain can cause the fish problems and stress. One extreme would be unregulated cyanide capture. Something to avoid at all costs. If you know as much about this chain as possible you can once again minimise the risk of failure.
Collector -> Importer -> Retailer -> My reef
This is a much more simple chain. In a number of cases the collection and capture of the fish is controlled by the importer who is also the wholesaler. (A tour around TMC UK)
Again I am very fortunate in that this model of the supply chain is one that applies to my three LFS so I know a great deal about the fish before it comes to me.
So I am at stage one of buying a new fish. I have done the research and have, as near as I can matched any possible new fish with my reef. (Can I keep wrasse?)
This is a much more simple chain. In a number of cases the collection and capture of the fish is controlled by the importer who is also the wholesaler. (A tour around TMC UK)
Again I am very fortunate in that this model of the supply chain is one that applies to my three LFS so I know a great deal about the fish before it comes to me.
So I am at stage one of buying a new fish. I have done the research and have, as near as I can matched any possible new fish with my reef. (Can I keep wrasse?)
Stage two is to go to my LFS and talk to them, look at the stock they may have and then come home and reflect. It is very rare that at this point I would buy a fish.
Stage three for me would be to go back and inspect the fish carefully in the LFS tanks. It may be that the shop owner has been to the importer and selected a particular fish for me...this is great if possible. I would want to see the fish feeding, behaving normally and well settled. This should be in the store for at least a few days. I may ask the LFS to keep the fish for a couple of weeks. Almost an LFS quarantine as I don't possess a quarantine tank of my own. Again all of this is done to minimise risk of failure!
Stage three for me would be to go back and inspect the fish carefully in the LFS tanks. It may be that the shop owner has been to the importer and selected a particular fish for me...this is great if possible. I would want to see the fish feeding, behaving normally and well settled. This should be in the store for at least a few days. I may ask the LFS to keep the fish for a couple of weeks. Almost an LFS quarantine as I don't possess a quarantine tank of my own. Again all of this is done to minimise risk of failure!
The good relationship with your LFS is key here.
Stage four. Once everything is good I make sure my little reef is ready. Any maintenance and water changes will be done in advance of the new fish coming so as to minimise disturbance and stress when the fish is first introduced. I also place my acclimatisation box in my aquarium for a couple of days so my existing fish get used to it. This has proven to be a very effective and simple strategy.
Stage four. Once everything is good I make sure my little reef is ready. Any maintenance and water changes will be done in advance of the new fish coming so as to minimise disturbance and stress when the fish is first introduced. I also place my acclimatisation box in my aquarium for a couple of days so my existing fish get used to it. This has proven to be a very effective and simple strategy.
Stage five is to collect my new fish from the LFS. Fortunately all are less than 30 minutes from home so the journey time is short. This means the fish are not in a bag for any length of time. This can be a real issue for fish that are bought mail order. Once home I drip acclimatise the fish for about 40 to 50 minutes. The bag containing the fish is floated in the sump and the water from my system slowly mixes, approximately one drip per second. I use a piece of airline with a G clamp for this. The aim is to equalise temperature, salinity and ph between the two sets of water. It is important to ensure no water from the LFS enters the home system. This is to avoid any possible pullutants or medication entering my system.
When I feel things are ok I inspect my new fish and if he or she is looking good I transfer them to the acclimatisation box within my little reef. I do this by hand and not using a net to avoid injury. They may stay here for a number of days so that all of the fish can get to know each other and hopefully sort out any aggression there may be (Avoiding aggression with my wrasse). Careful observation is needed here. If I feel that there is going to be real compatibility issues I could return the fish to my LFS. All of this is done to minimise the risk of failure!
I am learning that with Macropharyngodon wrasse (leopard wrasse), there is a balance between avoiding aggression and the stress that may be caused by not having access to the sand bed. Stress is, in my opinion, the biggest cause of mortality for our new fish, so avoiding stress is key.
Stage six I suppose is the release into the tank. Hopefully the fish are used to each other and will have sorted out the social acclimatisation issues so the new fish just needs to get used to their new home. Again keen observation for a few days or maybe only hours, to check all is good and the fish has settled and is not stressed. Over the last couple of year using the acclimatisation box I have found my new fish spend less time in the box and settle very quickly. I am not sure why this is but feel having the box in the tank for a couple of days before putting a new fish in is a factor.
Even with this process there may be losses either in the short term or the long term. It is impossible to know if every fish is perfectly healthy when purchased. and things can change within the little community over time as fish develop a new social order, or in the case of my wrasse, they even change gender! Everything I do is not a guarantee but is done to minimise risk!
Updated 29.10.20
I am learning that with Macropharyngodon wrasse (leopard wrasse), there is a balance between avoiding aggression and the stress that may be caused by not having access to the sand bed. Stress is, in my opinion, the biggest cause of mortality for our new fish, so avoiding stress is key.
Stage six I suppose is the release into the tank. Hopefully the fish are used to each other and will have sorted out the social acclimatisation issues so the new fish just needs to get used to their new home. Again keen observation for a few days or maybe only hours, to check all is good and the fish has settled and is not stressed. Over the last couple of year using the acclimatisation box I have found my new fish spend less time in the box and settle very quickly. I am not sure why this is but feel having the box in the tank for a couple of days before putting a new fish in is a factor.
Even with this process there may be losses either in the short term or the long term. It is impossible to know if every fish is perfectly healthy when purchased. and things can change within the little community over time as fish develop a new social order, or in the case of my wrasse, they even change gender! Everything I do is not a guarantee but is done to minimise risk!
Updated 29.10.20